Hanging From The Cross
The Jews were offended. A beggar might hang from the cross, not a king. They were waiting for a king who would hang people on the cross, as necessary. But what a cruel joke! Here was a beggar hanging from the cross claiming he was the Son Of God. This was worse than blasphemy. A respectable blasphemer might speak the blasphemy but at least stay away from the cross. What was this? The Jews were thoroughly offended.
The people who chose started calling themselves the chosen people. The God who created all earth and all peoples and all stars was being thought of as the God only of Jews. In one take the Messiah was not even to be any man God. It was a title to be earned. You did what was expected and the Jewish priests would anoint you The Messiah. It was a crown the priests had that they would put on the head of the one who did the work as expected by the priests.
That was spiritual corruption so extreme they rejected the very Son Of God. That seems to be a perennial temptation of the priestly class. And all spiritual workers should stay on the watch out.
There is but one God, there always has been but one God, there is no other God but that one true Living God, the creator of all. That God always has been but one prayer away to all human beings everywhere through time. The only soul you can save is your own.
Priests, pastors, and spiritual workers of all ilk are to approach their work with that humility. Instead of seeing unsaved souls as your personal projects or your blank canvasses you should be genuinely curious and be wanting to know the details of that particular person's unique spiritual journey.
Can you help them? Of course. Are communities of prayer important? They are indispensable. But just like the earth goes round the sun and not the other way round, the only soul you can save is your own. You can help them, but each individual has to do it for themselves.
